Are you preparing for brain or spinal cord surgery? We know that this can be a distressing time, but you can rest assured that our experienced neural monitoring technologists will oversee the whole procedure to reduce your risk of nerve damage. Our technologists perform clinical activities for which they have been credentialed in order to effectively manage any situation that may arise during your procedure.
Different modalities, or types of neurophysiological monitoring equipment, will be used by our neural monitoring technologists to protect neural structures such as the brain, spinal cord, and nerve roots during these delicate surgeries. To find out which modalities will be used to monitor your surgical procedure, speak with your doctor, or to get a general idea, look at our electrophysiology services chart. If you'd like more detailed information about a particular procedure, visit our types of surgeries page.
We have provided information below about the importance of neural monitoring during brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerve surgery so that you can better understand what our neural monitoring technologists will do to keep you safe throughout your procedure. We hope that this knowledge will make you more comfortable and confident going into surgery.
Neurophysiological intraoperative monitoring is typically needed during complex brain and spine surgeries, as well as peripheral nerve and vascular surgeries that potentially place the brain, spinal cord, and nerve roots at risk for damage. By monitoring these structures, our neural monitoring technologists are able to detect changes and can then work together with the surgeon to reduce or eliminate permanent damage.
The morning of surgery, our neural monitoring technologists will prepare you for intraoperative monitoring in the preoperative holding area. We will begin by attaching a series of electrodes at different points along your nerve pathway and will monitor your response to stimulation in the absence of anesthesia. These same electrodes will be used during surgery as well to monitor changes in your response. The location of each electrode will depend on the type of surgery being performed and your condition.
For instance, during brain or spinal cord surgery, the sensory nerves in the ankle (posterior tibial nerve) or in the wrist (median nerve) are stimulated with a mild electrical shock. This shock is not painful and serves only to generate a nerve impulse which travels along the nerve. Responses from somatosensory stimulation traverse the spinal column and are measured at the neck and at the sensory-motor area on the scalp. A change in these responses may indicate a disruption of the spinal column. However, a change in response may also be due to anesthetic effects or technical problems. Therefore, our neural monitoring technologists' skillful vigilance is necessary to interpret anesthetic or technical variables for effective neural protection. If damage has occurred, our neural monitoring technologists can work with the surgeon to determine the cause, which may include a mechanical disturbance or lack of oxygen to the brain. Together, our neural monitoring technologist and the surgeon can rectify the problem, thereby reducing or eliminating permanent damage.
Biotronic provides high quality neural monitoring services. When you need to undergo a delicate procedure like brain, spinal cord, or peripheral nerve surgery, we can protect you better than anyone else in the industry. For reliable neural protection services, place your trust in Biotronic; don't go into surgery without us!
812 Avis Drive
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108
map and directions
Toll Free:
(866) 856-4404
Fax:
(734) 677-2423
Brain and spinal cord surgery patients who would like more information about neural monitoring should contact Biotronic today. Or, if you would like Biotronic to provide the neural monitoring services during your procedure, inform your surgeon or hospital of our company and the services we offer.